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Ange Mlinko: The Critic Should Never Have A Muse
Michael Robbins has disappointed us in his attempt to make a Scarriet-like, sweeping definition of poetry: "Where Competency Ends, Poetry Begins."
Robbins has intelligence and wit, and we like his writing, but the jury is still out on whether he will fall into dyspeptic Pound-ism or soar like an Alexander Pope and laugh with silver laughter at the dunces.
We still have high hopes for the critic Michael Robbins—we have no hopes for any poet today—critics need to quiet the noisy poets before poetry can be heard again.
In his latest piece for the Chicago Tribune, Robbins drops the ball—he decries "competency" by selecting for laudation a quintessential piece of competency by Ange Mlinko, a "friend" of his, Robbins confesses to his readers, but a friendship, he insists, based on an "admiration for her work," and not (as he attempts to drive the stake into the heart of Foetry) the "other way around."
Since Alan Cordle's Foetry.com ceased publication and Scarriet sprang up to take its place, we like to think we have kept the flag waving above the beleaguered fort of common sense.
Robbins cannot see how his friendship with Mlinko has blinded him. So it follows he cannot see his tribute to Mlinko is the epitome of competency.
Robbins' article begins with that old trope: the view from the "slush pile" from the sneering, condescending poetry editor's perspective, as if "slush" wasn't finally published in the editor's magazine, anyway.
Robbins is doing something clever, though, moving from "slush" to "competency" to the apex of the imagination which is…Mlinko.
This would be funny, but Robbins, blinded by both "slush-pile"-experience professionalism and his "friendship," is serious. Too bad. Robbins is best when he's a little silly.
As he is a good critic, Robbins does give us an extra: slush pile poetry is mocked with quotes by Wyndham Lewis.
Wyndham Lewis? If you thought Ezra Pound was a creep who wrote mediocre, Modernistic poetry, wait to you read Wyndham Lewis!
Hemingway thought Lewis the most physically repulsive human being he ever met (with Ford Madox Ford a close second) and we are not surprised.
Robbins' Mlinko-nod to foetry, his faint damning of MFA "competency," plus his singling out as ludicrous the same passage of Adam Fitzgerald's (from a David Kirby review) which we found risible three weeks ago (#81) would seem to indicate Robbins is keeping his finger on the pulse of Po-Biz via Blog Scarriet. Good for him. Lists are currently the rage in po-biz and Scarriet's Hot 100 series got that started. Anyway, we are flattered.
For Robbins' argument, a couple passages from the "crushingly banal" "Apple Slices" by Todd Boss is presented, with concessions to its sonic effects, as 'workshop competent':
— eaten right
off the jackknife in
moons, half-moons,
quarter-moons and
crescents —
summon common
summer afternoons
I spent as my dad's
jobsite grunt…
so many waned and
waxed moons later,
another well-paid,
well-fed, college-
bred paper-pusher, I
wonder that I've never
labored harder, nor
eaten better.
And here is the Fitzgerald, which Robbins and Scarriet agree, was over-praised by the excitable David Kirby:
I was shipwrecked on an island of clouds.
The sun's pillors bored me though, so I
set foot on a small indigo place
below orange falls and hexagonal flowers.
I was able to stay there a fortnight,
restlessly roaming the buttered air
inside tropical rock enclosures,
caves of foliage that canopied darkness.
Robbins calls these lines "unmusical and undistinguished," but he is being kind. These lines are clumsy, ponderous, free verse Dr. Seuss.
But now Robbins turns to his standard for greatness, Ange Mlinko:
You never hear of Ixion, tied to a revolving wheel
but it's an axiom that, sooner or later, a hurricane'll hit here.
For starters, Mlinko uses "axiom," incorrectly, a philosophical term; we never say, "It's an axiom that it rains." But it seems axiom's similarity in sound to the mythical "Ixion" was too much for Mlinko to resist.
The rhetoric is wanting: the vagueness of "You never hear of…" How is this dramatically interesting? It is not. It's a fact-driven idiom. Poets need to be aware of this. And just in terms of pure sound, "tied- to- a- revolving- wheel" is ugly, and even worse is "but- it's- an- axiom- that,- sooner- or- later…" The logic is not worth pursuing in prose; it's safe to say it's not going to do anything for poetry: Because a hurricane will eventually arrive somewhere, it is worth noting that one never hears of Ixion.
Robbins thinks he is praising Mlinko's poetry. He's not. He's simply agreeing with a banal piece of logic: 1) "you never hear of Ixion" 2) Ixion symbolizes the "guests" of our "planet" who have met "their host's hospitality" with "rapine." Robbins claims this is not "climate change didacticism" but this is, in fact, all he is admiring—and all one could admire in this passage. Surely it's not the sonic chiming of Ixion and axiom.
Since rhyme fell from grace among the modernist sophisticates, assonance and alliteration have rushed in to fill the vacuum in all sorts of horrible, excessive and stupid ways.
Here is Robbins explaining to us what hurricanes are:
Mlinko is often delightful: "You never hear of Ixion, tied to a revolving wheel, / but it's an axiom that, sooner or later, a hurricane'll hit here." But there's more here than a Rube Goldberg spillage of phonemes modifying one another, irresistible as such sonics are. Contrast the insubstantiality of Fitzgerald's cloud islands with the sense Mlinko packs into this couplet: the story of Ixion, bound to a spinning wheel by Zeus for betraying a guest, reveals an axiom, a self-evident premise, which in this case is that the weather, in its cycles and revolutions, will always, eventually, manifest itself as a revolving wheel of air, which a hurricane is. And hurricanes arrive ever more frequently, deadly to human life and its built environment: in a reversal of the myth, the revolving planet binds its guests, who have met their host's hospitality with rapine. A little parable of climate change, then, with none of the didacticism you'd expect.
So here is one of the better critics writing today (a published poet, as well), Michael Robbins, and after dismissing "slush" and "competency," holds up for apotheosis, "sooner or later, a hurricane'll hit here."
This is one more example of how bad the world of poetry has become.
And this is why Mark Edmundson was right to attack contemporary poetry. It has become so bad that any attack is good, by default. And we mean this seriously. Something is wrong: that's where we have to start. The inarticulate nonsense proffered by professor Edmundson still trumps every weak defense, and they are all weak, by default. They are weak, first of all, because they are making so much of Edmundson's ludicrous piece in the first place. Secondly, they are weak because they are anxious to show Edmundson is wrong, but in a manner that is even more deluded. Edmundson wants poetry to be socially and politically relevant and the poets cry, "It is!" But social and political relevance isn't poetry.
We only raise this matter because Robbins, satisfied that Mlinko is the standard, finishes up his piece with a diatribe against Edmundson. Robbins: "Edmundson cites not a single contemporary poet under the age of 59. Think about that for a second." But unfortunately that says more about the sorry state of American poetry than it does about Edmundson. You see what we mean? The Edmundson of omissions and lapses is truer than Robbins on Mlinko.
Edmundson triumphs without trying. That's how bad it is.


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Tuesday, July 10, 2012
knock knock
18 comments:
- Jessica Ryan said...
I have no idea who... but this blogger would like to live there!!!
- July 10, 2012 at 12:09 PM
- ArchitectDesign™ said...
i have no idea but it's so charming!
- July 10, 2012 at 12:57 PM
- Jennifer C. Webb said...
Sharon Santoni-My French Country Home?
- July 10, 2012 at 1:27 PM
- Paula said...
This belongs to the lovely Sharon from 'My French Country Home' - it's a beautiful blog, and she has an utterly gorgeous home. You've captured it perfectly!
best wishes from England,
Paula x
- July 10, 2012 at 1:34 PM
- The 5 Bickies said...
Such a fun game....
lovely home and illustration too!
- July 10, 2012 at 1:36 PM
- Holly Gruszka said...
That is fun - and I have no idea either but I'll guess Sherri Cassera since I just read her post and I know the two of you worked together recently. Can't wait to find out whose home it is. You do such beautiful work.
- July 10, 2012 at 2:02 PM
- Town and Country House said...
What a fun idea for a series! I love this house, and can't wait to see the rest.
- July 10, 2012 at 2:11 PM
- pve design said...
Knock knock, who's there....you are the winner!
It is indeed Sharon of My French Country Home....
so fun to do this one....tell me which cards you would like from my pve shop on etsy!
- July 10, 2012 at 2:42 PM
- the gardener's cottage said...
your work is SO GORGEOUS!
- July 10, 2012 at 2:55 PM
- Unknown said...
Oh, i'm kicking myself that I don't know. Beautiful home!
I know I need to have you do an update of mine....but not sure what the best time of year is. Maybe we should wait for the next wave of tulips! We passed our final inspection today. Yippeee!
xoxo Elizabeth
- July 10, 2012 at 3:25 PM
- Jennifer C. Webb said...
Yippie, I clearly read too many blogs! Both yours and My French Country Home are among my favorites.
You captured the dreaminess of her home so well...as with all of your house commissions
Tough choice, but love those purple hydrangea notes
You are the best!
- July 10, 2012 at 3:49 PM
- Pamela Terry and Edward said...
Is it Sharon??
Such a heavenly house.
- July 10, 2012 at 4:50 PM
- pve design said...
Yes, Sharon it is.
Love that home.....
- July 10, 2012 at 6:22 PM
- Lisa Mende said...
Beautiful Patricia! You are so talented! Love your work!
- July 10, 2012 at 10:49 PM
- Formerly known as Frau said...
It's gorgeous!
- July 11, 2012 at 7:27 AM
- sharon santoni at my french country home said...
Wow Patricia!
Thank you so much for choosing my house to illustrate your game - such a fun idea.
You are so talented, you have captured My French Country Home perfectly, thank you. I'll be talking about it on the blog and hopefully send you some clients!
- July 11, 2012 at 2:40 PM
- eLIZabeth Floyd said...
What a charming series! And how lucky for Sharon to have such a lovely home!
- July 12, 2012 at 10:11 AM
- for the love of a house said...
So perfect Patricia! You captured Sharon's home beautifully, as you did mine!!
- July 14, 2012 at 11:31 AM

subset: commoncrawl


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text:
| 9.3°C Belfast
Ajax boss Frank de Boer is open to speaking with Tottenham about taking over as manager at the end of the season, although the north London club insist no official approach has been made.
De Boer led his team to a fourth successive Eredivisie title last weekend, further harnessing a burgeoning reputation that has often seen him linked with a move away from the Amsterdam ArenA.
Reports on Tuesday claimed Spurs had contacted the 43-year-old and, although the Barclays Premier League club confirmed to Press Association Sport that there has been no official approach, De Boer would consider a move to White Hart Lane.
"I'm going to think about this possibility after the last league fixture on May 3," he told nos.nl. "I'm going to talk and listen.
"I would like to add something to a club, that people can say they see the hand of Frank de Boer.
"There is a beautiful example at Liverpool. That is what Brendan Rodgers is doing now [making his mark]."
De Boer, a product of the fabled Ajax youth system, went on to play at Barcelona, Galatasaray, Rangers and then in Qatar before rejoining the Amsterdammers as a coach following his retirement, and has been first-team manager since 2010.
Bookmakers now make the Dutchman favourite to become Tottenham's next manager, ousting previous front-runner Mauricio Pochettino of Southampton.
Reports suggest it is a matter of when, rather than if, Tim Sherwood will be replaced at the White Hart Lane helm, with chairman Daniel Levy ready to tear up the 18-month deal handed to him in December.
Spurs are understood to be concentrating on ending the season well before reviewing the progress made under the head coach, whose win percentage is better than any other Tottenham manager in the Premier League era.
Should Sherwood get the boot, one of the legacies he will leave at Spurs is a focus on home-grown talent after his years of work within their youth set-up.
The former midfielder has put his trust in the likes of Nabil Bentaleb and Harry Kane, although fellow academy graduate Andros Townsend has found his time restricted under Andre Villas-Boas' successor.
The 22-year-old exploded onto the international stage when rewarded for his fine form in October, netting on his England debut against Montenegro before helping overcome Poland as Roy Hodgson's men secured a place in Brazil.
However, Townsend has not enjoyed the best end to the campaign and last started a Premier League match in the 1-0 defeat to Arsenal on March 16.
That lack of game time has seen his World Cup hopes weaken and, worse still, the winger sustained an ankle injury after coming on 12 minutes from time in Saturday's 1-0 win at Stoke.
Townsend left the Britannia Stadium in a protective boot and underwent an MRI scan on Monday, with further assessments taking place on Tuesday.
Spurs released a statement on the winger's condition on Tuesday evening, revealing they have yet to reach a conclusive prognosis.
"Andros Townsend is continuing to be assessed by the club's medical staff after suffering an injury to his left ankle during Saturday's win against Stoke City," the statement on the club's official website, www.tottenhamhotspur.com, read.
"We shall provide further information once we have a definitive update."


text:
The Napoli striker has long been linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium, with his consistency in Serie A marking him out as one of the deadliest frontmen in European football.
There are, however, a number of obstacles City will need to overcome if they are to put a deal in place for Cavani.
The Uruguay international has a sizeable release clause in his contract and is also wanted by the likes of Chelsea and Real Madrid - clubs capable of competing with City financially.
Gregucci has, however, told a Naples-based radio station: "City will definitely have competition for Cavani, who is dominating the Italian league with his goals and sacrifices for the team and whose contract has a £55m buy-out clause.
"Edinson is scoring a huge number of goals this season, and it will be difficult for City to take him. The 10 biggest clubs in Europe all have Cavani in their sights."
City are in the market for a new striker after agreeing to offload Mario Balotelli to AC Milan towards the end of the January transfer window.
Gregucci believes that deal will be beneficial to all concerned, with City set to make a profit on the £19million they paid Inter Milan for the fiery Italian back in 2010.
He added: "Manchester will take more than it cost, and we and Milan will both benefit, as we all know Mario can be devastating.
"Mario will also benefit because, away from the clutches of the British media, he will be able to concentrate more on football objectives.
"Staying close to his family, at a club like Milan, which he loves, could be his salvation, but at City with (Carlos) Tevez, (Sergio) Aguero and (Edin) Dzeko you can make a big impact in training and still be on the bench."


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The Blue Devil Nation got the early word and broke the news that Marshall Plumlee [7-0, 215, Class of 2011, Christ School, Arden, N.C.] committed to Duke University tonight. Plumlee will join Mason and Miles for a rare three brother act in Durham. Plumlee called Coach Krzyzewski with the news that he was ready to be a Blue Devil this evening.
Plumlee also chatted with Duke Assistant Coach Steve Wojciechowski about his decision and said he played a late role in helping him come to realize Duke was the fit for him.
The Christ School product also phoned his Coach, David Gaines with the news and then called his two brothers before going to see his Mom in a joyous evening for his family.
Plumlee also made a difficult call to Tony Bennett of Virginia, the runner up. Plumlee then started making calls to his family shortly thereafter and their camp was kind enough to give us the word first of his commitment to the defending national champion, Duke Blue Devils.
He is happy to be a part of the Duke Family and stated he is ready to go to work to continue to get better.
The youngest Plumlee joins Michael Gbinije and Tyler Adams in the class of 2011. Duke will now turn their attention to Austin Rivers who will play in this week's Peach Jam which BDN will once again cover. Stay tuned for an interview with the newest Dukie on BDN Premium.
Sidebar - Up next for Marshall will be Minneapolis and Las Vegas on the AAU circuit.


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News Archives - 2013
Augsburg College President Emeritus Charles S. Anderson dies at 83
Charles S. Anderson, respected reformation scholar, higher education leader and president of Augsburg College from 1980 to 1997, died Friday, June 14. Anderson was 83.
As the 8th president of Augsburg, Anderson led the College to strengthen its commitment to liberal arts education, spiritual growth, and freedom; expand diversity in enrollment and programs; and advance its curriculum to draw more fully on the resources of the city as an extension of the College's campus and classrooms.
During Anderson's 17 years as president, Augsburg College instituted two graduate degree programs, hosted national and international figures at College-sponsored forums and events, and celebrated the addition and improvement of numerous campus facilities such as the Foss Center for Worship, Drama, and Communication; the Oscar Anderson Residence Hall; and the James G. Lindell Family Library.
At the time of Anderson's retirement, then-Board of Regents Chair Barbara Gage described his legacy as one in which "leadership, energy, faith and pursuit of new ideas...helped Augsburg fulfill her mission to create leaders in service."
Gage said Anderson epitomized the servant leader and left Augsburg strong, healthy, and ready to have a positive impact in the 21st century.
"Charles Anderson's influence on the Augsburg community is deep and long-lived," said Augsburg College President Paul C. Pribbenow. "The priorities Anderson outlined and championed during his tenure continue to shape how we live out our institutional mission and celebrate life and learning in the city each day."
A tribute to Anderson's legacy will be included in the next edition of Augsburg Now magazine and published online in the coming weeks.
The Anderson family has requested that memorials be sent to St. Anthony Park Lutheran Church, Luther Seminary, or Augsburg College.


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The television adaptation of Stephen King's novel Under the Dome has undergone a bit of a tune-up. The series was originally being developed by comic book/TV writer Brian K. Vaughan (Lost) for Showtime with Steven Spielberg onboard as a producer, but now it appears that the TV adaptation will be moving to CBS. For those unfamiliar, the supernatural thriller pits local folks against each other when they discover that their vacation town in Maine has been cut off from the rest of the world by a mysterious force field. Hit the jump for more on the CBS iteration of the series.
Per Variety, CBS has given the show a straight-to-series 13-episode order. In a move that has become more common in the wake of cable's increasing dominance over the airwaves, the series will be aired next summer. Vaughan penned the adaptation and will still be onboard as a producer, but the network has brought in Neal Baer (A Gifted Man, Law & Order: SVU) to executive produce and serve as showrunner. Spielberg and DreamWorks' Stacey Snider remain onboard as executive producers as well. Additionally, The Eye is readying a deal to make Under the Dome episodes available for streaming shortly after the eps premiere on the network.
Niels Arden Oplev, who directed the Swedish adaptation of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, has been tapped to helm the first segment of the sci-fi series, though this isn't his first foray into television; Oplev previously directed the CBS pilot for the aptly named Unforgettable. Though it would have been nice to see the adaptation take advantage of the creative freedoms found on cable, hopefully we'll see a satisfying iteration of the show on CBS. Vaughan's involvement is certainly encouraging.


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More Candy 4 Us: Prince Is Back with 3 Albums
Never one to do things the easy way, Prince delivers a concept album, a collection of dance tracks, and a protégée.
You know it's hard out here for a Prince fan.
Actually, I'm not supposed to say "fan". I believe the proper term is "friend" or "fam". Whatever you want to call us ("avid Prince listeners", maybe?) there's hardly a dull moment in our support of our favorite eccentric genius.
And Prince seems to enjoy not making it easy. Sometimes my Prince fanaticism makes me feel like Tom Cruise in Jerry McGuire when he's explaining to Cuba Gooding Jr.'s stubborn and proud professional footballer Rod Tidwell why it's so tough to be Tidwell's sports agent: "I am out here for you. You don't know what it's like to be me out here for you. It's an up-at-dawn, pride-swallowing siege that I will never fully tell you about, okay?"
The last time I wrote about Prince, it was 2007 and he had released Planet Earth. Anytime Prince drops an album, I'm happy. It's a chance to add new songs into my Prince mixes, and a chance to reevaluate what I think I understand about his vast outpouring of music. But then he followed the release by engaging in copyright and trademark skirmishes with Internet sites like YouTube, demanding that all unauthorized music, images, and videos pertaining to Prince be removed. That was fine, I guess, except for the irony of Prince performing Radiohead's "Creep" at Coachella and then blocking videos of the performance from the web. Not even Radiohead could see his version of their song. "Really? He's blocked it?" was Thom Yorke's response. "Well, tell him to unblock it."
He has also made similar demands of fan sites, many of which have social networks based around a shared affection for his work. Prince enthusiasts decided they weren't going to take it anymore. They got together and formed Prince Fans United (PFU), and entered into discussions with Prince's representatives.
I'm positive the next big moment in the saga could only occur in a Prince chronology: Prince recorded a "diss" record targeting PFU. The song, "PFUnk", was actually kind of funky, as the name surely implies, using a swirl of guitars and freaky vocal effects to let his fans have it: "I love all y'all. Don't you ever mess with me no more." Interestingly, many PFU members thought it was one of Prince's better 21st century tunes. They even featured it on their PFU website.
While I have a hard time wrapping my mind around a diss record aimed at one's own fans, I'm intrigued by the idea of being sued by Prince. Forcing him to sit for a deposition might be my best shot at meeting him. During the deposition, I could pull another Tom Cruise maneuver but, this time, it would be the Cruise-Nicholson showdown in A Few Good Men. Prince would sue me in a jurisdiction that allows legendary bassist Larry Graham, a non-lawyer, to represent Prince without committing an "unauthorized practice of law" violation. I'd represent myself, and I'd annoy Prince during the deposition by playing Michael Jackson's "Bad" on repeat in the waiting area outside.
Me: What happened to Andre Cymone? Did you order the Code Purple?
Larry Graham: Objection!
Prince: I did what I had to do.
Me: DID YOU ORDER THE CODE PURPLE?
Prince: YOU'RE DOG GONE RIGHT I DID!
But it's 2009, and all things are forgiven when a new album appears. And this time, it's a three-album package consisting of two sets by Prince (LotusFlow3r and MPLSound) and one from the latest in the long line of Prince associates, Bria Valente. The package sells for just under $12, thanks to an exclusive deal between Prince and the U.S. retail chain with the bull's eye logo. You can also download all three works from Prince's website, www.LotusFlow3r.com, but you have to pay a subscription fee of $77. Presumably, the subscription will also earn you access to members-only music, videos, coveted concert tickets, and other assorted goodies.
I considered joining, but then my inner President Obama came out and said, "Look, let's be clear here. You can't afford that."
Plus, I've had some experience with Prince's previous direct-to-consumer and online efforts. Lest you forget, he was the Al Gore of this online music thing! There was the 1-800-NEW-FUNK mail order service, and then www.Love4OneAnother.com, the NPG Music Club, and www.3121.com. Prince would not be Prince if he made things easy. Even if the new website works flawlessly, I figured he'd make me solve a riddle or decode something in order to enter the site, or play "I Spy" to find the download link before you can purchase it. Sorry, Prince, I can't come out and play in the sunshine right now. Maybe later.
As for the breadth and scope of the collection, you already know the drill. Prince likes to release as much music as he can, in as many styles and genres as he can muster, and he'll do what it takes to accomplish that goal. It seems he has a fondness for the multi-disc format. Sign 'O' the Times was originally conceived as a three album set before it was reduced to two. Revolution band members Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman, whose White Flags of Winter Chimneys is a seriously good listen, recently discussed the Sign 'O' the Times era with Vibe Magazine.
Other collections that go to the max are: The Hits/The B-sides, the three 60-minute CDs of Emancipation, Crystal Ball's three discs of outtakes, and the live performance flavor of One Nite Alone…Live!. "New Power Pak" of 1998 reminds me of this LotusFlow3r package. It featured the New Power Generation album New Power Soul (which is really a Prince/the Artist), Chaka Khan's Come 2 My House, and Larry Graham's GCS2000.
Of course, a common critique is to question whether Prince should release so much music. Couldn't the best tracks of LotusFlow3r and MPLSound be whittled down to one excellent disc? Shouldn't he edit more? Interesting sentiment, although it's three CDs for the price of one, so you can just buy the thing and create your own playlist, right? Besides, you'll never get a consensus about which Prince songs to cut and which ones to keep, so it becomes more a philosophical exercise.
Speaking of which, let's discuss this music. But a word of caution as we move through this. I'm not going to be comparing this new release solely to the Prince songs of yesteryear. That's the mistake everybody makes. Despite his declaration in The Truth's "Don't Play Me" that his only competition is "me, in the past", you have to also compare him to the current music landscape.
What's your favorite Prince album? Dirty Mind? 1999? Purple Rain? Parade? Sign 'O' the Times? Chaos & Disorder (sike!). Well, the Prince who recorded whatever your favorite album is will probably beat "New Prince" in a comparison contest. It's automatic. And if U play that game, U'll B dissatisfied. Boo hoo. That's automatic 2.
Of the three CDs, LotusFlow3r is the centerpiece. Rolling 12 tracks deep, LotusFlow3r embarks on a trippy esoteric journey through an organic assemblage of rock, funk, and jazz.
If you want to play the comparison game, LotusFlow3r is a concept album of sorts, but not in the soundtrack format of Prince's own Purple Rain, Parade, or Graffiti Bridge. This is more like LoveSexy and its struggle in song between the good news of "LoveSexy" versus the negativity of "Spooky Electric". LoveSexy presented an enjoyable but cartoon-like path toward spiritual contentment. By contrast, LotusFlow3r is a bit more serious, but without succumbing to self-importance and melodrama, and it's certainly less preachy than 2001's The Rainbow Children.
The Prince criticism I hear most is that he's "self-indulgent", with his unwillingness to edit his output as a close, and related, second. That criticism is largely unfounded here, although I can understand it in regard to the set's instrumental numbers "From the Lotus…", "…Back 2 the Lotus", and "77 Beverly Park".
The thing is, the instrumental pieces contribute to the album's concept. In particular, the opening and closing "Lotus" instrumentals frame the album, giving it a cyclical feeling, even while these pieces are less form than function. That is to say, they fit into Prince's "lotus flower" motif as the universe's primordial matter, providing an array of jazz-flavored accompaniment to other songs, like "Boom" and the psychedelic "Wall of Berlin", that speak to intergalactic, as well as individual, evolution and enlightenment.
Letting go of one's earthly trappings and socially conditioned viewpoints is a regular theme throughout. For instance, the mellow rocker "Colonized Mind", in title and content, recalls Me'shell Ndegeocello's line in "Untitled" from her debut album Plantation Lullabies: "Her beauty cannot be measured with the standards of a colonized mind". The song "$" espouses a familiar "easy come, easy go" perspective on money ("What difference does it make who got the most bank, it's just ink & chlorophyll"). I don't get why Prince thinks symbols can be song and album titles, but the groove is fresh enough to make Andre 3000 say, "Now that would have been perfect for the Idlewild soundtrack."
By letting go, you can transcend the frustrating and the mundane, which is why we get the James Brown-styled workout "Feel Good, Feel Better, Feel Wonderful". Ultimately, this leads to ascension, exemplified by the Jimi Hendrix-saluting "Dreamer". Channeling the famous guitar lick of Hendrix's "Voodoo Child", "Dreamer" plays right into the "lotus flower" lore and cosmology of the East, but relayed through a decidedly Western lens. And it rocks.
LotusFlow3r, conceptually and in musical diversity, operates as a cross between Stevie Wonder's Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants and Me'shell Ndegeocello's The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams. Like The Secret Life of Plants, the songs on this set explore, in some way, various aspect of the lotus flower mystique. "Love Like Jazz" and "77 Beverly Park" might even fit the mood and music of Plants.
Lovers of Prince's guitar work might not be so forgiving of LotusFlow3r's musical variety, wishing instead that every song had been a rock banger. Prince's guitar heroism here is nimble, inspired, and delightful, so I can see the attraction of hearing an album that would be "all rise" and nothing but scorchers, with no low key moments, like a Barney Stinson mixtape on the sitcom How I Met Your Mother.
Falling into the "low key" category would be the lovely, if saccharine "4ever" and the cover tune "Crimson & Clover", with its vocal delivery the sonic equivalent of shimmering water. The problem with the "all rise" and "all rock" approach is that it ignores the theme of evolution. The ebb-and-flow feel of the album reflects that process. Sometimes it is relatively gradual, like the progression from the opening track to "Boom" and then to "Crimson & Clover". Sometimes it is abrupt and visceral, like the dramatic shift from "Colonized Mind" to "Feel Good, Feel Better, Feel Wonderful". In this instance, Prince's eclecticism has a purpose other than putting his wide ranging influences on display.
About "Crimson & Clover", please note that this song only appears on the physical release. The www.LotusFlow3r.com download version contains the song "The Morning After" instead. As a title, "The Morning After" seems like a natural follow-up to a track called "Boom".
A buddy of mine has both the download from the website subscription and the physical release, and has been puzzling over how to fit "The Morning After" into the same playlist as "Crimson & Clover". Where do you put the two songs without disrupting the flow of the album? Well, after some tinkering, I think I've figured it out. What you do is keep "Crimson & Clover" after "Boom", and then let "The Morning After" follow "Feel Good, Feel Better, Feel Wonderful." If you are so inclined and own a copy of the song, you should then let the rompin' NPG Music Club track "Glasscutter" come behind "Wall of Berlin", preceding "$".
Whatever you do, please listen to these albums, but especially LotusFlow3r, on your headphones. Regular speakers won't do it justice, and you'll miss a lot of the nuances that make these songs tick. Also, I suspect these songs would sound marvelously warm on vinyl. Prince might get my $77 if he offered a vinyl version on www.LotusFlow3r.com.


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Past misdeeds: Can boyfriend's mom make it up?
Dear Carolyn:
From what my daughter's boyfriend has told me of his childhood, his mom sounds cold, unloving, even borderline abusive. He's quick to reassure me that she's changed since then. But I can't unhear what I've heard.
I know the default is to be cordial when I meet her and give her the benefit of the doubt, but how do I handle it if she puts him down in my presence?— Uncharted Territory
This is actually two questions. The first is how to handle what you've heard, and the second is how to handle what you witness.
For the former I recommend, yes, the benefit of the doubt, but you can't half-heart it, or else you'll take the slightest of her transgressions as license to believe the worst.
So try looking at yourself through this lens for a moment. Page through your memories of raising your daughter, and fix on a couple of your lowest moments. Times you yelled, times you acted selfishly, times you said something mean. Now imagine your daughter spinning these tales for a therapist. Yikes.
You may know these were deeply regretted exceptions, typical and human and duly mended, but you also need to know that, if phrased just-so to someone who wasn't there and doesn't know you, these could paint a scary picture of you. Of anyone. When you meet the boyfriend's mom with that in mind, maybe you can upgrade your we'll-just-see to a truly open mind. Think of it as innocence until she proves herself guilty.
As for any mistreatment you witness, handle it as you would any other: Stick up for the target. Anything from a raised eyebrow to a full-out "I believe you owe X an apology" can let people know unkindness is unwelcome here.
Dear Ms. Hax:
Often when my girlfriend calls me or I call her while she is with family or friends, she will announce that she has put me on speaker phone, at which point I am expected to converse with whoever happens to be in the room with her. I find it annoying, and I've expressed this to my girlfriend. She in turn finds it annoying that I am not more enthusiastic about speaking with her friends. Which of us is on the right side of etiquette, in your opinion?– D.
Putting someone in an awkward spot is the exact opposite of what etiquette exists to accomplish.
But this isn't about etiquette.
You're trying to have a say in what you do, which is your right, even if your methods might be problematic. (You are asking her to change her behavior— which is OK occasionally, but not repeatedly and not as your only solution.) She, meanwhile, is trying to have a say in what you think and feel, which is a boundary violation. It's also bad for a relationship. For that matter, so is the aural cheese-grater that is a speakerphone.
Usually the best way to handle behavior as boorish as hers, since the chances are slim that she confines it to phone-bombing, is not to date it anymore. If you're not there yet, then change your own behavior: "Hi everyone! Girlfriend, call me back when you're free," click. That puts you fully in charge of what's fully yours to control.
Email Carolyn at email@example.com, follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/carolyn.hax or chat with her online at noon Eastern time each Friday at www.washingtonpost.com.
(c) 2013, Washington Post Writers GroupRead more on: Carolyn Hax
1 comment
Easy solution to the speakerphone issue...As soon as you find out she's with other people, tell her you were just calling to chat and you'll get back to her when she is "free".
As for the putative mother in law...MYOB. Better say nothing than show your A&%....


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Einhorn wins on Aetna-Coventry dealAugust 20, 2012: 3:44 PM ET
It looks like hedge fund manager David Einhorn, who has become something of a Delphic oracle to investors, scored big again Monday.
Last week, Einhorn's hedge fund Greenlight Capital disclosed stakes in several health insurance firms, including Aetna (AET) and Coventry Health Group (CVH), as part of his fund's quarterly reports to the SEC . He acquired these positions sometime in the second quarter. The Supreme Court's June 28th decision to uphold health care reform came at the very end of the quarter.
Shares of Coventry Health Group soared nearly 20% Monday, after insurer Aetna announced a $5.7 billion takeover of the Medicare and Medicaid provider. Coventry's stock traded near $42, its takeover price. Aetna's shares also moved up 4% Monday.
Related: Hedge funds bet on Obamacare
Typically when Einhorn casts his gaze on a stock, investors run away. Einhorn outlined reasons for the impending downfall of Lehman Brothers, months before the investment bank imploded. Last October, Einhorn's presentation on the failings of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) single-handedly cut the company's stock in half. Green Mountain's slowing growth and its quirky accounting pushed it down further.
Meanwhile, analysts and bankers in the health insurance sector expect the pace of deals to continue at a rapid clip.
Now that healthcare reform is more assuredly the law in the United States, managed care companies like Aetna are scrambling to boost their exposure to consumers who use government healthcare programs. Earlier this year, insurance company WellPoint (WLP) agreed to acquire Medicare provider Amerigroup (AGP). Last year, Cigna (CIG) bought HealthSpring.
A banker close to the Aetna-Coventry deal said that potential buyers are circling the remaining pure play Medicare and Medicaid companies like Centene (CNC), Molina Healthcare (MOH). The banker said health care insurers are rushing to wrap up these buyouts before early 2013. Insurers want to guarantee that these deals are approved by state and federal regulators before health care reform takes effect in 2014.
Investors don't appear to be betting on near-term takeovers of either Centene or Molina, as shares of both companies traded down Thursday. But for Einhorn, it looks like another clear victory.


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I remember talking to a guy that told me how much he hated Paris. Shocked, I asked him why. Well it turns out he visited the Charles DeGaulle airport and didn't bother leaving the airport area. But what really ticked him off, was that the hotel's fancy restaurant didn't know how to make a hamburger! So they chopped up a steak, barely grilled it, and served it on a brioche for $40.
So what does this have to do with a vegan hamburger restaurant? Paris has changed it's view on the lowly burger over the years. Places like Hippo, McDonalds, and other chains have introduced cheap burgers and bistros have begun featuring fancy burgers more often on their menus. The steak tartar has been cooked, stacked, and covered with a fried egg.
Hank Vegan Burger
Hank is taking this appreciation for the burger and replacing the meat with vegan goodness. The Hankburger menu includes a variety of burgers and side dishes. For those more adventurous tourists, the Touriste burger changes with the seasons.
The burgers are seriously hand-crafted. They take their time making sure everything is perfectly placed on the bun. For me, the standout of the meal were the fries and their vegan mayonaise.
For the burger, I thought it was good. In the vegan world, there are two approaches:
- Imitate meat
- Ignore meat and emphasize vegan proteins
I'd say Hank falls in the second camp. This was a tasty sandwich, but I wouldn't call it a burger. I point this out for your meat eating friends, as they may be disappointed by the lack of texture and chew. If they are ready for a vegan sandwich, they'll be happy customers.
Hank is located in the Marais district on Rue des Archives. It's a small restaurant with a large takeout clientele. It's a great street food alternative to the nearby Falafel restaurants. It's open for lunch and dinner.
- Hank Vegan Burgers
- 55 rue des Archives 75003 Paris (3°)
- 09 72 44 03 99
- Metro: Rambuteau (11), Filles Du Calvaire (8), St Sébastien-Froissart (8)
- Fast Food
Accessibility: the entrance and restroom are on the ground floor, but there is insufficient room for a wheelchair to access the restroom.


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Tag Archives: 3
April 26, 2012 · 9:04 am
Happy 64th Israel!!
Filed under art, documentary, image, israel, Jerusalem, photo, photographer, photography, photojournalism, photos
Tagged as 3, 64, 64th, air force, air show, airshow, bright, Celebrate, celebrating, Celebration, celebrations, celecration, ceremony, chopper, colors, colorul, colourful, composite, fireworks, flyover, helicopter, helicopters, IAF, independence, Independence Day, israel, Israel Air Force, Jerusalem, luminous, middle east, MiddleEast, Mount Hertzel, Mount Hertzl, Mt. Hertzel, Mt. Hertzl, Night*, presidential residence, salute, Saluting, sixtyfourth, spark, sparkle, sparkling, sparks, three


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Season Preview for EMPIRE, CHICAGO P.D.
September 27, 2017 by Screenmag
Chicago is back in the spotlight as two of its flagship television series, EMPIRE and CHICAGO P.D., make their season premieres tonight.
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK: The Lyon family is back together when EMPIRE Season Four premieres Wednesday September 27th at 7 pm Central on FOX. Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker is a new addition this season, the latest Hollywood heavyweight to join Season Four, alongside Demi Moore, who has a large recurring role in the upcoming season and made her first appearance in the Season 3 finale. Enjoy this preview of EMPIRE Season Four then be sure to tune in this evening at 7 pm Central:
STATE OF CHANGE: NBC's steady ratings winner CHICAGO P.D. kicks off Season Five with one of the more controversial episodes in its history. The district is in a state of change - Lindsay (played by Sophia Bush, who exited the show earlier this year) has moved to New York - and the CPD is under scrutiny about the corrupt nature of its institution. Under the watchful eye of the city, the team attempts to bust a gun deal that quickly turns dicey when innocent civilians and children get involved. A misfire gets District 21 caught up in the biggest controversy of their lives. Here's a quick preview of the sesaon premiere then be sure to tune into CHICAGO P.D. tonight, Wednesday, September 27, at 9 pm Central, on NBC.
Next up: CHICAGO FIRE premieres Thursday night, click here for the season preview, and as always, make it a point to support and watch these Chicago shows, they keep this city working!


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RSBS Digest: Time Travel
Unless we're talking about the cavernous anatomy of a female Kardashian, despite my best efforts, I still have not been able to pinpoint the location of a reachable and workable worm hole. Hadron Colliders the size of Prince Fielder's appetite are also difficult to find these days. And let's not even start talkin' about the insane price of rocket fuel!
So how do I propose we travel back in time?
We open our eyes and take in the train wreck that is the Republican primary!
Want to live in a world where a woman's reproductive rights don't matter? Vote Republican!
Want to live in a world where your life is governed by an invisible sky daddy whose literary tome is as angry, erratic and suspect as a Manny Ramirez press conference? Vote Republican!
Want to live in a world where the ONE candidate who ACTUALLY MAKES SOME SENSE is so shunned that he doesn't even have ONE person embedded in his campaign to report what is actually going on? Vote Republican!
We might not be able to travel back in time to stop the JFK assassination or Don Denkinger's blindness during the '85 Series, but as the above scenarios prove, we can go back about 100 years without much effort. Just know that, if we do, it may only be a matter of time before they may decide it is okay to own human beings and to kill others simply because they believe in a different fairytale.
Hate me. Whatevs. Just don't hate me 'cuz I'm right.


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The Basement: Hidden Storage Room
If you remember, with the renovation we made our large laundry room into a smaller galley style laundry room surrounded by an L-shaped storage room. Here's the layout:
We went through many options for this part of the basement but ultimately decided on this layout because:
- it would allow us to centralize all the utilities and keep them 'back of house'
- this zone was unfinished with an exposed ceiling and walls. Keeping this area as utility space meant we didn't have to finish it and incur additional costs for drywall, paint etc.
I really think storage is one of the most overlooked areas of renovating. Often, people spend their time focused on the main rooms and the decorating and storage is an afterthought - that "storage" space will be wherever there is a gap or crevice or unused space. Then what happens? You end up with things stored in boxes and giant plastic bins all over the house - and can't find a thing. With a little bit of planning though, you can create storage that is highly efficient, contained, and attractive. Here's a few things we did to create the ultimate storage room:
Here's the view of the room when you enter. The furnace was already on the right but we did rotate it 90 degrees. This one change allowed us to minimize the dimensions of the storage room (it is only 38" wide and just under 7' tall) and maximize the size of the laundry room.
To the left, you see this. We decided to keep storage running on the outside perimeter of the room and "controls" on the inside perimeter where they could be accessible and visible. We put extra blocking in between the joists so that we could mount things like the sprinkler box and the fire extinguisher. If we were really smart, we would have recessed the TV that is in the laundry room into this room! It would have fallen just above the light switch.
We also added spray foam insulation along the exterior wall only. The wall to the right is a shared wall with our neighbour so it was unnecessary. You can't see it in this photo but we also added some batt sound insulation in between the ceiling joists to dampen noise from the laundry room from travelling upstairs to the living room.
We already had these Ikea IVAR shelving units and luckily they worked in the new room. The shallower 12" deep units were placed near the entry way and the deeper 19" units were fit into the corners where there is a recess in the wall.
In terms of how we store things, a few general rules we followed:
- Items are stored in boxes as much as possible and boxes are labelled. This prevents small, odd shaped little things from floating all over the room
- Like is kept with like. Paint cans and household tools are kept on one shelf. Kitchen and cooking equipment is kept on another. Dangerous items are stored on higher shelves, out of reach of Chloe. It makes for better organization and things are easier to find.
- Standardize. I used to have my Christmas decorations in multiple boxes of varied sizes. Now they are tucked away in these four long bankers boxes (which just happen to fit perfectly on the shelving). Again, like is kept with like: ornaments in one box, figurines and mini trees in another.
Now here's an example where planning really benefits design. We knew we were going to move the hot water tank from its old location under the stairs into this storage room. We also wanted to put the large filing cabinet beside the tank. Again, the storage room dimensions were planned to accommodate this. We also told our contractor of our plans and had him place the dryer vent upwards and over the area, thereby maximizing our free space.
You'll notice that we also brought the shut off valves for the washing machine into the storage room. Typically, you'll see these in the laundry room behind the machines or in a recessed box above the machines so that they're still accessible. By moving the supply lines into the storage room, we were able to have uninterrupted wall space and create our dramatic glass tile backsplash in the laundry room.
I know to some that this may seem a bit of overkill, a bit of overthinking the space. But in our small house, every inch counts. It feels good to get so much stuff tucked into a tiny space! And I kinda like that this room is hidden... you can hardly tell what's behind the door :)
4 comments
Good stuff! I totally agree about storage being often overlooked and REALLY important. I also think that planning for all the utilities is often overlooked. I am jealous that you were able to hide the shut offs to your washer and dryer!ReplyDelete
We are always on the lookout to find more figure storage in our old house. We just added a closet under the basement stairs last week, although I've got a little bit of insulation to add at the back corner before we can use it.
- Jennifer Hibberd8:10 AM
Hi Jen! I have been reading on my phone a lot lately so haven't been commenting but am a very long time reader and just wanted to say how inspiring your whole basement reno has been. My husband, baby boy and I just bought our first home and our basement looks like your basement befores. We are just doing up plans for the storage so this was great timing! Your house is the best. Love it! Jenny www.simcoestreet.blogspot.comReplyDelete
- ramblingrenovators12:12 PM
Congrats on the new house Jenny! We actually gave up storage space when we renovated the basement so it was really important that we found ways to use what we did have more effectively. Have fun renovating!ReplyDelete
- ramblingrenovators12:15 PM
These old houses are so tricky, aren't they? Yes, HandyMan was insistent on moving the valves and bulk of the venting into the storage room. You architects are good that way ;)ReplyDelete


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Baby Bjorn has gone and done it. They've managed to create a baby high chair that's so full of itself and overpriced that I actually find myself hating something as innocent as a baby high chair this afternoon.
For $US300 one receives this ultra-compact, ultra-portable high chair with which helicopter parents can coddle their undoubtedly over-coddled child some more.
Price aside, Baby Bjon's marketing this thing as an all-around indestructible baby-protector, complete with high chair FUD in the form of an image that shows an unattended baby climbing out of an inferior chair and standing precariously on the edge. Certain doom awaits this child. At least, doom is certain until you plunk down $US300 for a Baby Bjorn high chair, which is what good parents who love their children will do this September when it goes on sale.
>How any of us reading these words today survived our infant years, during which we were confined to such obvious deathtraps, is beyond my level of comprehension. [CrunchGear]


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Goddesses may be abandoning him, but at least Charlie Sheen can still rely on family.
While making an appearance on Access Hollywood, Sheen's brother Emilio Estevez - who had been very critical of Sheen's public meltdown in the past - reassured everyone that Charlie is doing a lot better these days.
"He's a different guy. He's a completely different guy," said Estevez. "He's got his voice back. And I think he's got his focus. He's on a new show and he's gonna be roasted by Comedy Central – which I think is going to be hysterical. I think that he's really got it together. And he's very excited about the crew of the show he's putting together."
U.S. & World
"The show" Estevez refers to, of course, is the slowly-gestating TV series based on the Adam Sandler/Jack Nicholson comedy "Anger Management," which Sheen is developing with producer Joe Roth's Revolution Television.
Earlier this year, Estevez and father Martin Sheen were much more dour about Sheen's condition, with the senior Sheen even going so far as to compare Charlie's problems to cancer.
Maybe things are looking up, though.
Selected Reading: Access Hollywood, E! Online, Yahoo


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By now you're well and regrettably familiar with the Simmons/Grantland signature move, which is to liken a sport or its participants (NFL coaches, say) to a well-known pop culture artifact (Entourage, say) in a way which offers insight or comment on neither of them. To the extent that there ever really was any critical juice to be wrung out of examining this empty, masturbatory, hackneyed crap, those days are probably long gone. The Grantlanders do this shit; it sucks; we make fun of it on Twitter; they burrow deep into enormous piles of Disney money to idly tickle their own assholes in the dark.
Since Steve McPherson has framed his here-is-how-some-NBA-teams-are-like-characters-from-Breaking Bad-in-case-you-were-wondering-and-also-critically-hypoxic tract as a "thought exercise" (and, to be fair, you'll probably work up a nice brain-sweat just trying to grind your way through 2,700 words of this shit—"But questions still remain about Howard's health and fit. It feels like it's all right there but that's exactly when it can be so far away" WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT EVEN MEAN), here's a parallel "thought exercise" you can perform while working your way through it: Tell me, for Christ's sake, why the fuck this thing exists. What the fuck point the author is trying to make, other than I am familiar with both the NBA and a popular television show. Who is it for? Does it illuminate the NBA for Breaking Bad fans? Does it illuminate Breaking Bad for NBA fans? Does it actually have anything to say about either of them, other than that the author is aware that both of them are internet catnip?
No. Seriously. Why does this thing exist. Help.


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- Duration of movie : 119
- Societies of production : One Race Productions
- Tagline : Survival Is His Revenge
- Movie Genre : Action, Science Fiction, Thriller,
- Film Note : -movie_rating-
- Original title : Riddick
- Release Date of film : 2013-09-06
- Status : Released
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- Average rate : 6.2
- Languages ??spoken : English
- Vote Count : 939
- Vin Diesel Character (Riddick)
- Karl Urban Character (Lord Vaako)
- Katee Sackhoff Character (Dahl)
- Jordi Moll Character (Santana)
- Bokeem Woodbine Character (Moss)
- Nolan Gerard Funk Character (Luna)
- Noah Danby Character (Nunez)
- Neil Napier Character (Rubio)
- Keri Hilson Character (Santana's Prisoner)
- Dave Bautista Character (Diaz)
- Matthew Nable Character (Boss Johns)
- Andreas Apergis Character (Krone)
Riddick Synopsis:
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Home > News & Events > Speeches & Testimony
Chairman Gruenberg Press Conference Opening Statement on the Third Quarter 2013 Quarterly Banking Profile
Good morning, and welcome to our release of third quarter results for the banking industry.
Chart 1
Insured institutions earned 36 billion dollars in net income in the third quarter. That is 1.5 billion dollars less than the industry earned in the same quarter a year ago. This is the first year-over-year decline in over four years, and it is mainly attributable to a 4 billion dollar increase in litigation expenses at one institution. Had it not been for that, the upward trend in earnings would have continued.
Also contributing to the earnings decline was a drop in net operating revenue. That's because of a reduction in mortgage lending activity, which I'll discuss in a moment.
Overall, however, most of the positive trends we have been seeing in industry performance continued in the third quarter. Fewer institutions reported quarterly losses, lending grew at a modest pace, credit quality continued to improve, more banks came off the "Problem List," and fewer banks failed.
Chart 2
As I noted, quarterly revenue declined because of lower mortgage lending and asset sales gains.
This next chart shows that net operating revenue was 6.1 billion dollars lower than a year ago. This decline was largely driven by the increase in medium- and long-term interest rates that occurred in the second quarter. Higher interest rates have significant effects on mortgage refinance and other activity, which we are now seeing in the third quarter results.
Chart 3
The decline in mortgage activity is evident in this next chart.
Originations in the third quarter were 30 percent lower than in the second quarter, and mortgage sales were down 24 percent.
Chart 4
This reduced level of mortgage lending led to a 4 billion dollar, year-over-year decline in noninterest income from mortgage activities, as you can see in this chart.
And as we also noted last quarter, higher interest rates reduce market values of fixed-rate loans and securities, which, in turn, reduce income from asset sales. In the third quarter, gains from loan sales -- including mortgages -- were almost 3 billion dollars lower than a year ago, while realized gains on investment securities fell by 2.2 billion dollars.
Net Interest Margin
Chart 5
Nevertheless, higher interest rates have had some positive effects. The steeper yield curve is favorable for net interest margins, because banks generally borrow short and lend long.
Average margins rose in the last two quarters at all but the largest institutions, where they declined due to a large increase in balances held at Federal Reserve banks. And while margins remain below year-ago levels, net interest income increased on a consecutive-quarter basis for only the second time in the last 7 quarters.
This improving environment for margins is especially good for smaller banks, which get a larger share of their revenue from net interest income.
Loan Loss Provisions
Chart 6
The largest positive contribution to the year-over-year change in quarterly earnings came from lower loan loss provisions. Banks added just 5.8 billion dollars to reserves in the third quarter. This is 8.8 billion dollars less than banks set aside in the third quarter of last year, and the smallest quarterly total in 14 years.
Chart 7
Asset Quality
Although the decline in loss provisions resulted in a 6.5 billion dollar reduction in reserves for future loan losses, the decline in reserves was surpassed by an 18 billion dollar drop in troubled loan balances.
As a result, the industry's coverage ratio the ratio of reserves to noncurrent loans -- improved for the fourth quarter in a row, from 62.3 percent to 64.5 percent.
Chart 8
You can see in this next chart that this improving trend in asset quality has been remarkably consistent.
Noncurrent loan balances still remain well above pre-crisis levels, but declined by 46 percent over the past 14 quarters. And net charge-off rates are now much closer to pre-crisis levels.
Chart 9
Loan balances continued to increase in the third quarter, but the rate of growth remained modest. Total loans and leases rose by 70 billion dollars in the third quarter. Over the last 12 months, loan and lease balances have risen by 3 percent.
The drop-off in origination activity contributed to lower mortgage balances during the quarter. C&I loan growth, which has been the strongest of any major loan category, slowed but remained at a significant level. Consumer loans, notably auto loans, posted relatively strong growth. And while loans to small businesses were down at larger banks, they increased at smaller institutions.
Problem Banks
Chart 10
As for "problem" banks and bank failures, the numbers keep improving.
The number of banks on the "Problem List" declined from 553 to 515 in the third quarter. This is the tenth quarter in a row that fewer banks were on the list, which is now more than 40 percent below the peak of 888 in first quarter 2011.
Six insured institutions failed in the third quarter. This is half the number that failed in third quarter 2012. So far this year, 23 banks have failed, compared to 50 over the same period last year.
Deposit Insurance Fund
The Deposit Insurance Fund balance rose to 40.8 billion dollars as of September 30, up from 37.9 billion dollars at the end of June. Assessment income and a reduction in estimated losses from anticipated failures drove the third quarter increase.
Estimated insured deposits were essentially unchanged from the previous quarter (increasing by only 0.1 percent), and the reserve ratio — which is the Fund balance as a percentage of estimated insured deposits — increased to 0.68 percent at September 30 from 0.64 percent at June 30.
As required by law, the Deposit Insurance Fund must achieve a minimum reserve ratio of 1.35 percent by 2020.
Summing up, we saw a continuation of many positive trends that we have noted in prior quarters. Asset quality continues to improve, loan balances are up, and the numbers of unprofitable institutions, problem banks, and bank failures continue to decline. While industry revenue was lower, due in large part to a reduction in mortgage originations caused by higher interest rates, today's report shows further progress in the gradual recovery of the banking industry.
Thank you. I am happy to take a few questions.
|Last Updated 11/26/2013


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Few view the blunt sequestration cuts set to begin on Friday as ideal policy, yet budget hawks worry that non-action on the deficit would leave in place a growing debt dynamic that has fostered only economic stagnation.
To that end, the Brookings Institution's Hamilton Project convened a roundtable discussion of budget experts Tuesday in Washington to consider "innovative, pragmatic proposals for lowering the deficit by reducing expenditures or raising revenues."
While the 15 proposals range from military procurement reform to restructuring Medicare, one of them at least drives to the heart of financial advisors' work with retirement clients. Proposal No. 6 by Brookings fellow Karen Dynan looks to save $40 billion over 10 years by limiting the subsidy of tax-advantaged retirement savings plans such as 401(k)'s.
The essence of Dynan's idea is that affluent investors would save for retirement anyway, without taxpayer incentives; consequently, the primary plank of her four-tiered proposal is to cap retirement savings-related deductions at 28%.
The Brookings scholar writes:
"The Tax Policy Center has estimated that entirely eliminating the tax preference for new contributions to defined contribution plans would raise about $30 billion from households in the top 5% of the income distribution, which is very roughly the fraction of households that would be affected by a deduction rollback."
Because she proposes a 28% rate cap, the value to taxpayers would total about $7.5 billion per year. Since Dynan's other policy plans are aimed at broadening credits and establishing programs for low-income Americans—which would cost some $3.5 billion annually—her proposal over all would generate $4 billion in annual savings, or $40 billion in deficit reduction over 10 years.
Unsurprisingly in Washington, where tweaks in tax policy rouses rapid reactions from those affected, Brian H. Graff, executive Director/CEO of The American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA), swiftly called Dynan's proposal a double tax on 401(k) contributions that would induce business owners to shut down their plans and thereby reduce low-income retirement savings.
In a news release, Graff said "retirees already pay ordinary income tax on distributions from retirement savings plans. If this proposal went through, a small business owner in the 39.6% bracket would pay an 11.6% tax on contributions made to the 401(k) plan today, and pay tax again at the full rate when they retire."
Graff added that while Dynan's proposal acknowledges wealthy savers could move their funds to other savings vehicles, "what it fails to acknowledge is when that double-taxed person is a small business owner and it no longer makes sense for the owner to have a 401(k) plan, that owner probably won't offer a 401(k) plan to the employees, either."
The Hamilton Project's 14 other policy proposals were no less controversial. Advisors will be particularly interested in proposals 7, 8 and 10, which would reduce individual tax deductions and exclusions; replace the mortgage interest deduction with a refundable credit; and institute an American valued-added tax (VAT). Those three proposals would reduce the deficit over 10 years by $1 trillion, $300 billion and $1.6 trillion, respectively.
The proposed VAT (proposal No. 10), at a rate of 5% with refundable credits to limit the tax's regressivity, would be the biggest revenue generator on the list; the tax expenditure limitation (proposal No. 7) would have the second-largest impact.
Among the other deficit-reducing proposals are two that focus on Medicare and two that wield the budget ax at the Pentagon. Proposal 1 looks to bundle Medicare payments to doctors so that physicians assess one charge for the overall wellness of the beneficiary rather than for distinct individual services; Proposal 3 seeks to restructure the program's cost-sharing features to, among other things, discourage excessive use of program benefits.
The defense-related proposals generate savings through changes in the military force structure (such as ground combat troop reductions) and procurement practices while limiting costs in the growth of military pay and health care costs.
Disability insurance reform and disaster relief programs are among the other budget areas under scrutiny in the Hamilton Project's policy proposals.


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The companies on the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing privately held companies are a diverse lot, to be sure, but one of them — No. 362 to be precise — has achieved its meteoric rise by propelling financial advisors' businesses.
Inc.'s stats show Platinum Advisor Strategies has grown 1,218% over the past three years, reaching 2012 revenue of $2.3 million—three years after its 2009 founding.
And it is the unmet needs of beleaguered financial advisors that are fueling that rapid-fire growth, according to Platinum's CEO and co-founder, Robert Fross.
"Our growth is the result of the desire our industry has for a company that can help advisors do the things they know they need to do," Fross told ThinkAdvisor in a phone interview from Washington, where Fross is attending Inc.'s annual awards ceremony for companies that made its 2013 list.
But Platinum's growth has already zoomed past its 2013 Inc. listing, which among other statistics, shows 825 financial advisors being served by 15 employees.
Today, the advisor services company's 23 employees serve nearly 1,000 financial advisors, and Fross says Platinum is committed to adding staff as necessary to keep up with the advisor work flow.
Employees of The Villages, Fla.-based company — dubbed "advisor's assistants" — work "as an extension of advisors' offices—they work almost as an employee of the advisor," Fross says.
"In our business, we have coaches to tell advisors what to do. What we've found is the hole in our business is not telling advisors what to do, but providing a service we can do for advisors.
"[Advisors are] told we need to communicate more regularly with clients, do more client events, connect on a more personal level, be more involved in social media," Fross continues. "What most of these coaches don't realize is we already know that. But we're already busy working as financial advisors for a living. If you expect me to also be an events coordinator, that's unrealistic."
That's where Platinum's advisor's assistants come in—they'll tweet, blog, post on LinkedIn in addition to other branding and communications tasks, while Platinum's office systems and turnkey prospecting initiatives designed to let advisors just "show up."
"Most [coaching-type] companies teach the advisor how to fish, or show him how to fish; we take them to the pond and cast the line, then hand them the rod," Fross says.
The idea for a company that would help advisors grow stemmed from the rapid growth Fross' own wealth management company experienced. Fross and his twin brother, Thomas, remains actively engaged in their own Fross & Fross Wealth Management firm, which they started in 2007 after working five years with another indie firm.
The financial crisis proved no barrier to Fross & Fross' growth, from $160 million in assets in 2007 to about $400 million today.
"Because we were communicating so regularly, we retained our clients. So many people weren't hearing from their advisors — so that was an opportunity to attract new clients. We were very much in front of them," he says.
Fross says lack of communication is the No. 1 reason people leave their advisor. So Platinum offers its white papers, newsletters, conference call and video scripts, e-mail updates and other communications to help its advisors similarly stay in front of their clients.
"We connect the dots between what the advisor knows he needs to do and what he has time to do," citing a "State of the Market" assessment as an example.
"The advisor has to build the presentation, do the research and get approved by compliance. For all those reason few advisors will ever do a State of the Market.
"We personalize invitations with advisors' broker-dealer disclosure statement under the event; build the PowerPoint; get it approved by the advisor's compliance department; have it printed and mailed for him. All he has to do is show up and read the speaker notes and address what's going on in market," Fross says.
Such services are especially valuable for independent advisors, since wirehouses often handle these details, which he says are a challenge for independent advisors. "Our comp has really stepped in to fill that niche," he says.
The Platinum CEO adds that compliance departments view his firm as an ally.
"LPL can approve this commentary 100 times or once," he says. "We try to make it as easy as possible and they in turn appreciate that advisors are doing things the right way."
The do-it-for-you approach applies in more esoteric areas as well. Platinum members can organize a wine tasting with Platinum's help, for example.
"We tell them what to buy, where to buy it, get it approved with their back office and send off invitations on their behalf. All the [advisor] has to do is read the tasting notes that we give him," Fross says.
Asked whether the provision of all this content undermines a sense of authenticity on the advisor's part, the Platinum CEO responds:
"We encourage all of our reps to get involved," he says. "Our more successful reps do get involved. But if they solely take on all that responsibility, most will become so overwhelmed that they can't serve their clients, or they'll just stop [these activities]. The worst thing an advisor can do is not be consistent in their communications."
The cost for Platinum's extra hands varies depending on the level of service the advisors is seeking. Members who want all of the firm's newsletters, office systems and social media support pay $350 a month, while a smaller segment that want a website and assistance updating blogs and social media pay an additional $200 a month (after a $2,400 setup fee.)
In response to advisor demand, Platinum expects to announce "within the next 30 days" a new coaching program that will formally commence in January.
Fross says advisors who have taken fullest advantage of the firm's services have seen year-on-year growth between 50% and 90%.
The reason, he says, is "they don't have to reinvent the wheel because they can use things we [Fross & Fross] have taken years developing and refining.
Fross compares advisors lacking Platinum's range of services and office systems to "a gentleman [who] had courted his fiancee for months, proposes, then she doesn't hear from him for six months."
"Our systems allow you to make sure things don't fall through the cracks," Fross says.
Check out Loss-Leader Pricing Often a Losing Bet on ThinkAdvisor.


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Academic Policy Details
Declaration of Major/Minor
Students indicate an intended major/minor at the time of their initial enrollment. Thereafter, a change of major/minor is processed through the Office of the Registrar. Students must declare a major prior to their registration as a junior.
Double Major/Minor Policy
Any student interested in pursuing a second major simultaneously should declare a primary major and a secondary major with the Registrar's office. If the two majors are under different degrees the student will have to declare the degree of the primary major.
Double Degree
William Woods University does, under specified circumstances and conditions, admit students to study for a second baccalaureate degree. A second baccalaureate degree, in addition to other requirements, requires the possession of a complete baccalaureate prior to admission and no less than 30 credit hours of academic work subsequent to the award of the first degree.
The University does not permit under any circumstances or conditions, simultaneous study for two baccalaureate degrees. Students who pursue double majors with different degree designations must elect one or the other degree designation. They may not select both. A double major does not constitute a double degree or a second degree. Students in the adult degree completion program (Graduate and Adult Studies Program) do not earn double majors.
These policies apply to the Semester Program/On Campus students only. Graduate College Students will need to consult the Graduate College Bulletin.


text: August Hill-Make Your Own Mimosa Bar Calendar When: October 11, 2020 @ 11:00 am – 3:00 pm Repeats 2020-10-11T11:00:00-05:00 2020-10-11T15:00:00-05:00 Where: August Hill Winery 106 Mill St North Utica, IL 61373 USA Contact: 815-667-5211 Utica Events We are excited to introduce the "Make Your Own Mimosa Bar" – now available every Sunday, from 11 am – 3pm, at the Tasting Room! Simply order a glass of your favorite ISC or AHW bubbly, then choose your favorite juices to add. We'll have the supplies and the recipes for these special mimosas listed below, but feel free to make your own creations too. Mimosa on the Beach – ISC Brut with mango nectar Tropical Mimosa – ISC Brut Ombré Rosé with guava nectar Manmosa – ISC Brut, Clamato juice, and beef stick & cheese garnish Morning Mimosa – AHW Cranberry Infusion with blood orange & clementine juice and a squeeze of orange Classic Mimosa – AHW Almond Infusion with orange juice


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Petra Names Scratch-N-Play Winner
Petra Industries earlier this month awarded the grand prize to the winner of its Scratch-N-Play game. Jeffrey Pederson of Exclusive Electronics in Sevierville, Tenn., won $500 in cash.
Pederson was awarded the prize at International CES.
Follow Petra on Twitter at @Petra_Specials and Petra Industries on Facebook for more information.
Related Content


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Ph: (02) 9487 3333
If you would like to hire this costume, please give us a call in-store on (02) 9487 3333 to make a booking. Please be aware that we require a $20 (non-refundable) deposit per costume (The deposit goes towards the hire fee).
Fireman Mens Costume includes: jacket, pants and hat.


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Peach Stainless Steel Reusable Bottle
£15.00 £20.00
Keeps 12h Hot / 24h Cold. 26cm x 7cm | 500ml
To prevent spills and leaking, properly and fully tightened the lid to ensure an airtight seal. Transport upright is recommended.
Internal and external walls made from stainless steel 304 (18/8).
Do not put in the dishwasher, oven, microwave or freezer. Clean with warm soapy water and/or with baking soda using a non-abrasive element. Let it dry heads down. Store with lid removed. Do not overfill. Fill to just below the threading in the body.
The huge amount of non-recyclable, disposable coffee cups and plastic waste created from the daily purchasing of hot and cold drinks has a huge environmental impact. Using and refilling a reusable bottle is an easy step to support the environment. Qwetch was founded in 2012 by Stephane Miquel. The products are manufactured in selected factories in China chosen for their social engagement and quality. Qwetch also care about protecting the health of their customers and work hard to reduce or eliminate any plastic in their products. When they do include plastic it is PP5 and is tested BPA free.


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I just installed a fresh copy of Mythbuntu 12.04. I installed it as a combined frontend and backend. I ran through the configurations, accepting all defaults except for two items:
- I set the hostname to the server's IP
- I checked the checkbox to enable network remote controls
I then rebooted. When I try to connect via mythmote, I get "connection refused" and "connection timed out" errors. What I have done to diagnose the issue:
- Reboot
- Re-run configuration without changing any settings
- Disable IPv6 (ala /proc/sys/net/ipv6/conf/all/disable_ipv6)
- Disable
- Run Wireshark, which reports that a TCP SYN arrives at the server, and the server sends a TCP RST in response. Prior to disabling
ufwthe server would not even send the TCP RST
The settings I have for mythmote are:
- Name: Gamma (this is my third server)
- Address: 10.0.0.14
- Port 6546
- MAC: (Not filled in, I don't need WOL)
If I switch to a TTY on the server, I can
telnet 127.0.0.1 6546 and get to the network remote control interface. If I try the same via
telnet 10.0.0.14 6546 I get a connection refused.


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Sta-Rite Max-E-Therm Pool Heater
Outer Banks LP Gas Pool Heater
Sta-Rite heaters are the most unique heaters on the market. Made from proven Dura-Glas® composite material, the Max-E-Therm will continue to look brand new long after other "metal-box" heaters have started to rust.
The Max-E-Therm pool heater utilizes PMG combustion technology which requires no outdoor draft hood to operate.
The result is the highest efficiency (84%) pool heater in its class, while keeping NOx emissions to a minimum. That means less time waiting for your pool or spa to warm up, and more time enjoying it.
The Sta-Rite pool heater is also compact and weighs less than 125 pounds. Its unique round body allows for 360° placement of its control panel as well as its intake and outlet makes it easy to service. This also make it ideal for retrofitting an existing pool.
Simple Diagnostic Controls make operation and troubleshooting simple. Rotating top allows for placement of the panel at the easiest location. The Sta-Rite Max-E-Therm heater is fully non- corrosive and cool to the touch. Fast heating, very efficient and easy to install and service.
Eco Select™ Brand: Max-E-Therm high performance heaters offer best-in-class energy efficiency. Plus, they are certified for low NOx emissions, making them eco-friendly favorites.
The Max-E-Therm is for indoor or outdoor installations on pools and spas. Features include a LED temperature readout with dual thermostat controls, temperature safety lockout, rust-free Dura-Glas® construction with plastic manifold and PVC union connections, and 6-position control panel.
The Sta-Rite Max-E-Therm is also available as a Heavy-duty unit equipped with a cupro-nickel heat exchanger which stands up to harsher applications, such as low pH, high flow or heavy use, such as you would find in a health club spa or rental property. ASME versions are also available for commercial use.
Pool Heater Features
Rust Proof Enclosure – Sta Rite pool heaters are constructed of Dura-Glas® – a sleek, lightweight and rustproof material that withstands heat and the elements.
Exact Temperature Controls – Accommodates temperatures for both a pool and a spa running off of the same heater, in fahrenheit (°F) or celsius (°C).
Energy Efficient – PMG combustion technology improves efficiency and reduces operating costs. 84% Efficiency rating!
Safety – Internal safety feature sets maximum temperature levels.
Environment Friendly – Exceeds all air pollution standards. All units are low NOx.
Warranty – The Sta-Rite Max-E-Therm pool heater is backed by a strong 10 year warranty, 2 year full, assisted by a nationwide network of authorized repair centers.
Easy To Install – Lightest heater in its class. Custom or Retrofit – easily fits other systems.


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Every VAR knows that some IT vendors are better than others at providing healthy returns on investments. In CRN's Annual Report Card, the ROI criteria factors into the Partnership subcategory score.
Our Annual Report Card research determined how VARs felt about the ROI they were getting from vendors' products, and the results might surprise you. Here are the best -- and worst -- of the bunch.


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I'd forgotten all about it.
The Tama Plaza school was having it's one year anniversary party tonight. I'm reluctant to go to these things as I'm always worried it's going to turn into a extended free English lesson, but I have to say I really had a great time. Why?
Yes, alcohol! And plenty of it. One of the students even brought in a big esky full of the stuff. Nice.
Although it wasn't as decadent as one could hope for, I drank enough to be happy and sociable with everyone. I'm sure I impressed with my amazing chopstick skills while eating sushi, fish and chicken with them.
As the night drew to a close, I stumbled to the station deciding to catch the all stops to Shibuya, thinking I didn't want to miss my connection back to Yotsuya.
When I arrived through the door I practically fell onto the futon.
"Are you drunk?", "Are you sleepy?"
Those were the last words I heard as I quickly dozed off.
Saturday, 21 February 2009
Tama Plaza Anniversary
I'd forgotten all about it.
Posted by Jimmy In Japan at 11:59 pm


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I just got back from an amazing first trip to Death Valley National Park with some amazing people and I desperately want to go back.
Twitter has been amazing for a lot of reasons, but mostly for it's role in allowing a community to come together that would otherwise probably never have any contact. The weekly twitter chat #ATQA (Adventure Travel Question & Answer) has introduced me to a group of incredible people online and I've had the great fortune to meet quite a few of them in person. So when #ATQA host and Adventure Travel Aficionado J. Brandon started talking about a group meet up in Death Valley, I was in without hesitation.
#ATQA is a pretty big community online and the weekly chats bring in a lot of participation. But when it comes down to planning a trip, very few people can make it happen. I have found this to be pretty typical with most group trip planning: lots of interest, little actual participation. Not that that's a bad thing, fewer people is often better and easier to manage, more flexible…and fewer people to drink my whiskey!
Three of us made it out to Death Valley and I could 't have spent my time in Death Valley with two better people. Val said it best, "…an amazing confluence of travel, people, and place". It's the trifecta of happiness! I have always loved to travel and I'm not the cruise-ship-resort-tourist type of traveler. I find real bliss traveling in dirty places, off the map, encountering real people and I generally enjoy the company of the people I find there. Even though we were in the California desert only a couple of hours from Las Vegas, this felt like real travel. Long bumpy drives on lonely dirt roads to obscure sign posts in the desert had something to do with that, but this really did have more to do with the people. I haven't had this sense of ease and understanding on a trip since traveling South America with my dad.
I think it's easy to feel at home anywhere in the world, it's rarely a "place" that makes me feel more comfortable and at ease. Although there are places that call to me, like canyons and rivers, feeling at home is much more about the people you share that place with. Those interactions and relationships are what shape an experience more so than the water, rock and sky. Traveling solo is sort of a cheat, you can be comfortable in your community of ONE. But traveling in a group, and feeling a definite sense of community and understanding is much harder to find.
I have to thank Val and J for making Death Valley one of my new favorite places and I can't wait to go back for more.
Images from this trip are available on my gallery at WildernessDave.Photoshelter.com.


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For immediate release
Contact: Katherine Dibling, Senior Media Representative, (215) 574-4119
The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia today released the coincident indexes for July 2011. The coincident indexes combine four state-level indicators to summarize current economic conditions in a single statistic.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia helps formulate and implement monetary policy, supervises banks and bank and savings and loan holding companies, and provides financial services to depository institutions and the federal government. It is one of the 12 regional Reserve Banks that, together with the Board of Governors in Washington, D.C., make up the Federal Reserve System. The Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank serves eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Delaware.


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A collection of scholarly works about individual liberty and free markets. A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.
Purchase now from Liberty Fund
The Origins and Principles of the American Revolution, compared with the Origin and Principles of the French Revolution, translated by John Quincy Adams, edited and with an introduction by Peter Koslowski (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2009). https://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/2376,
|Available in the following formats:
|LF Printer PDF
|This text-based PDF was prepared by the typesetters of the LF book.
Gentz was a conservative German who supported the American Revolution but strongly opposed the French. This work was originally published in a journal Gentz edited in May and June 1800 and was translated by John Quincy Adams. Liberty Fund's edition includes an introduction and explanatory notes by Peter Koslowski.
The copyright to this edition, in both print and electronic forms, is held by Liberty Fund, Inc.
This material is put online to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. Unless otherwise stated in the Copyright Information section above, this material may be used freely for educational and academic purposes. It may not be used in any way for profit.


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Which Korean online game companies will be appeared at E3 2012? Nexon, Wemade, CJ E&M, Eastsoft, Bluehole Studio will be there.
Nexon brings 'Dungeon&Fighters Live' for Xbox360 at E3 and will be held media showcase on the 6th of June. 'Dungeon&Fighters Live' is similar to its online game version, but supports 720p for TV. It supports single play as well as party play through Xbox Live.
Wemade Entertainment will announce 8 mobile games – 'Choas&Defense', 'Goblin Mobile', 'Friend Fighter', 'Pet Island', 'Hero Square', 'Rhythm Scandal', and 'Project Q' for the first time.
CJ E&M will introduce various online games includes 'S2 Online', 'Bloody Hunter', and a Roleplaying Shooting 'Hounds', MMORPG 'Monarch'. Eastsoft will bring 'Cabal 2', which ended CBT last November. Bluehole Studio will have a booth for 'Tera', while Maiet Entertainment will show 'Raiderz' at Perfectworld booth.